As early as 1999, the EUROHAB initiative reported an urgent need for research on phycotoxin accumulation, detoxification and biotransformation rates in exploited shellfish species. It also strongly recommended a second objective of developing commercial systems for the cleansing of shellfish once contaminated with toxin. As a result, EU Framework Programs and regional programs funded a series of R & D projects aiming to consolidate our understanding of contamination/detoxification pathways, together with the development of industrial scale detoxification processes and mechanisms. These studies attempted to accelerate the depuration process, for DSP in blue mussels, PSP in Pacific oysters and Manila clams, and ASP in King Scallops. Bulk culture protocols were undertaken for either toxic (Alexandrium, Pseudo-nitzschia) or non-toxic (Skeletonema, Isochrysis) algae to balance the often random nature of toxic episodes, and to fulfil industry requirements for detoxification. Technical improvements were derived from these studies. They included a practical protocol for washing ASP from the edible parts of contaminated scallops, and the manufacture of an algal paste that could be used as detoxification material instead of live cells. Difficulties were experienced with a decrease in Alexandrium or Pseudo-nitzschia toxicity when grown in bulk cultures, and the wide individual variations of shellfish toxin content compromised some experiments. However, supplying non-toxin containing food to these bivalves was confirmed as one of the most efficient means of speeding up detoxification, although the time needed to reach the regulatory level varied according to toxin type and shellfish species.